Merck and Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust to enhance rural cancer care in Bangalore

New Delhi: Merck India has teamed up with the Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust (RSST) to improve cancer care and awareness in rural areas of Bangalore.

The partnership, unveiled during an event at Shree Sathya Sai Hospital, is part of Merck’s Rural Oncology Project, which seeks to address the cancer care needs of underserved communities.

This initiative aims to expand access to quality cancer care by providing screenings, diagnostic support, and treatment services across approximately 600 villages in Karnataka. The partnership has already achieved significant milestones, screening 933 individuals to date. Of those screened, 60 have received diagnostic support, 106 have been identified with pre-cancerous lesions, 68 have been treated for non-cancerous oral conditions, and 2 individuals diagnosed with cancer have been referred for further treatment.

In addition to enhancing local cancer care, the project involves collecting biopsy samples to aid research at IIT Bombay, where efforts are focused on identifying cancer biomarkers. The event brought together prominent stakeholders from government, academia, healthcare, and business sectors to discuss the urgent need for a united effort in combating the oral cancer crisis facing India.

The collaboration was announced in the presence of key figures including Pratima Reddy, Country Speaker for Merck India & MD of Merck Specialities Private Limited; Dr. B L Sujatha Rathod, Director for Medical Education, Karnataka; Dr. M P Shyam, President of RV Institutions; Dr. Mahesh, District Health Officer of Chikkaballapur; and Dr. Raghupathi A R, Director of SMSIMSR.